The Link Between Diet and Depression

Approximately 95 percent of Serotonin, the neurotransmitter that influences mood, regulates sleep and appetite, and inhibits pain, is produced in the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, your diet not only impacts your digestive system, but also your emotions.

The way you eat matters just as much as what you consume. Everyone knows that you should never skip breakfast. However, it also is important to eat on a regular schedule. Packing healthy snacks to bring in your backpack can help you avoid cravings between meals.

Making changes to your diet is simple, but requires patience. It is not easy to break bad habits and establish healthy, new ones. A first step can be keeping a food diary for one week, writing down what, when and how much you eat, along with how you feel at different points during the day. This may help you identify how your emotions and the foods you consume are related. For example, having a candy bar for an afternoon snack could actually cause your energy level and alertness to crash and result in your craving more sugar soon afterward. Similarly, both fast and junk foods are high in sugar and fat and can negatively affect your mood.

Three common ingredients actually can improve your mental health. Raw cacao boosts Serotonin levels. (Since pure cocoa is bitter, eating dark chocolate that is 85 percent cocoa or above may be a more enjoyable alternative.) Walnuts contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower an individual’s risk for depression. Finally, blueberries are high in Tryptophan, a precursor of Serotonin. Besides eating raw cacao/dark chocolate, walnuts and blueberries by themselves or adding them to muffins, oatmeal and smoothies, you can try the below recipe, which contains all three.

Homemade Granola Bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes to make and 60 minutes to chill

1/2 cup peanut butter (or almond or cashew butter)

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 cup quick cooking oats

3/4 cup raw almonds, chopped coarsely

3/4 cup raw walnuts, chopped coarsely

1/4 cup dried blueberries

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

dash of cinnamon

1. Melt the peanut butter, honey and coconut oil over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to combine.

2. Pour the warm mixture over the oats and nuts.

3. Add the dried blueberries, chocolate chips and a generous dash of cinnamon.

4. Stir to combine.

5. Pour into a square 8 x 8-inch pan lined with parchment paper, press down and chill for at least 60 minutes.

6. Cut into 12 to 16 bars before serving.

7. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or freeze for future use.